Sanchez Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Hello Hybridz: I just moved my Z-car down to St. Petersburg, Florida and experienced a disaster the other day during a pop up storm and I was hoping to make some Z owner connections in the Tampa/St. Pete area in case of an emergency. The other day I was in terrible traffic on the highway during a heavy down pour and my car started making a chattering noise and seemed to have lost the ability to accelerate. I noticed that the temp gauge was pegged at 250 so I started to plan an escape route off the highway but I could not see 20 feet in front of me. I probably ended up driving at highway speed for 5 minutes before I could get off the highway and let the car cool down for an hour. Turns out a freeze plug popped out on the highway and the heat from driving started to melt my valve cover gasket and bubble the engine enamel I put on the head during a rebuild. She still starts and seems to run like before this incident but I'm afraid It could have warped the head. I can do a decent amount of work my self if something goes wrong, but I need the community to clue me in on trusted names in this new city. Back in St. Louis I had a guy called the z-man who owned a z-car junkyard I would scavenge for parts. My question for other z-car owners in Tampa is: Where do you go for spare parts? Are there any shops that you would trust to do work on your z-car? Any notable machine shops in the area that you have had work done at? Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Zdocs.com. You can talk to Brent I'm not sure if you still doing mechanics or not but I know he has a bunch of parts Also there is Zfever. Never used them but I have heard of them. Are you living there now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwarner Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 The local club is the SunCentral Z Club. Check out the club on Faceboook. ZDoc is still around but not that active anymore. Most SunCentral members with vintage Zs have taken to doing their own engine work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanchez Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Thanks for the info. I'm actually currently a student at Eckerd College in St. Pete. Like I said I've rebuilt the L28 currently in my car, so I generally do my own engine work. My main fear is that I may have warped the head and will require a new one or a resurface. So if you have any advice on a trusted machine shop in the area, or a junkyard/pick a part you have had luck at finding Z car parts, it would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage42 Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Carl Beck is there in Clearwater and there are a couple Z guys right in that area. Jump on Facebook and look him up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwarner Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Zdoc sent his engine overhauls to a NAPA shop at 11716 N Florida Ave, Tampa. The problem is that you would have to pull the engine and bring it to them. Or at least you could pull the head and bring it to them it you find it warped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkspeed Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 2nd the callout for Sun Central Z Club. In Orlando,I get all my work done at Dover Cylinder Head if you cant find anything over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veritech-z Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) ZFever is now Feverracing, and seems to have moved on from the early zcar community to Z32 N/A to Turbo and S13/14 swaps. I only dealt with them once back in the day, when I needed some doors. They got me some for the wrong year that had different latch styles, so I had to transfer the guts over to my old ones. Brent from ZDocs was really cool, but he isn't on the Fletcher location anymore for a couple years now. I assumed he closed up shop, but maybe he just moved? Edited August 4, 2015 by veritech-z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwarner Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Brent is still there working when and on what he chooses. Pretty much a catch as catch can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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